The 2022 Fuel Economy Guide is out!
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) produce the Fuel Economy Guide to help car buyers choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs. The Guide is available on the web at fueleconomy.gov.
The purpose of EPA’s fuel economy estimates is to provide a reliable basis for comparing vehicles. Most vehicles in this guide (other than plug-in hybrids) have three fuel economy estimates:
- A “city” estimate that represents urban driving, in which a vehicle is started in the morning (after being parked all night) and driven in stop-and-go traffic
- A “highway” estimate that represents a mixture of rural and interstate highway driving in a warmed-up vehicle, typical of longer trips in free-flowing traffic
- A “combined” estimate that represents a combination of city driving (55%) and highway driving (45%)
Estimates for all vehicles are based on laboratory testing under standardized conditions to allow for fair comparisons.
Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can use gasoline and E85, have estimates for both fuels. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have estimates for (1) electriconly or blended electric and gasoline operation and (2) gasoline-only operation. PHEVs are discussed in more detail on page 44. For answers to frequently asked questions about fuel economy estimates, visit fueleconomy.gov.